Celebrate National Poetry Month with these creative exercises

Evan recites his poem titled "Tigers" as he plays the bongos to the beat of Donkey Kong.

Angela Verges | Contributor

Seventh grade students filed into the poetry cafÃ©. The makeshift cafÃ© was their classroom illuminated by a lamp light and a string of multi colored Christmas lights. The tables were decorated with black paper sprinkled with confetti and faux candles.

Thump, thump, thump, thump was the beat of the bongos. South Arbor Charter Academy Language Arts teacher Julie Whiston led the poetry readings with an original poem of her own. Her “list poem” caused an outbreak of laughter and set the atmosphere.

Although National Poetry Month is celebrated in April, Ms. Whistons’ students have already begun their unit on poetry. Her students discovered that poetry can be fun.

After a visit to Cirque Du Soleil (circus) the students were given the assignment to write a free verse poem about their experience. They were also allowed to select any style poem to write. You can unleash the poet in your family with a few exercises.

A website (www.shelsilverstein.com/pdf/poetry.pdf) with activities related to Shel Silverstein’s work (author of "Where the Sidewalk Ends") has a variety of poetry-related printable activities which include:
â€¢ Personal poetry puzzle - cut words from the sheet and use them to create a poem.
â€¢ Word finder - how many words can you make from the letters in the following sentence: “Celebrate National Poetry Month.”
â€¢ Rhyme practice - how many words can you find that rhyme with eye, black, glue or will.
â€¢ Poetry word search.

A visit to scholastic.com (www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3749230) revealed another set of ideas for getting kids involved with poetry.

One idea was to use the five senses to create a poem. Take the kids on a nature walk, to a museum or a visit to the library. The kids can use these experiences to stimulate ideas for a poem.

Sights and sounds of rain or a storm can also inspire the beginner or experienced poet. The sense of touch can be used by placing small items in a bag. The kids would feel for an item, select one, then write their poem.

If I was given the task of writing a poem as Ms. Whiston assigned, it would look like this:

Clean Up

Clean your room,

Clean it now I don’t care what you use,

I don’t care how. Pick up that car,

Move that ball

Hang up your towel,

Wash that wall.

Brush your teeth,

Go to bed,

I’m so tired I need to rest my head.

I love you much,

I truly do

But moms sometimes need a rest too.

I’m no Dr. Seuss and my rhyme patterns may not be right, but writing is therapeutic any time, day or night. There are an unlimited number of fun ways to celebrate poetry. How can you make celebrating poetry fun?

Angela Verges is a writer and mother of two. She can be reached at awritersdream41@yahoo.com.